Discover the history of
Barnes Railway Bridge

Phase one (1846 -1894)

In the mid-18th century, Barnes was a small village community that had no access to, or even a need for, a railway line. Its own station didn’t open until 1916.

What drove the need for a railway bridge?

The necessity for a river crossing at Barnes, capable of taking a train, was put forward by London & Southampton Railway – later known as London & South Western Railway. London & Southampton Railway introduced a plan to extend the existing line that ran from Nine Elms in Battersea to Richmond and further west to Windsor. This would include a loop from Barnes to Chiswick and Hounslow. The only way to achieve this project was to construct Barnes Railway Bridge.

 

How it all began

Work started in 1846 with a design produced by civil engineer, Joseph Locke. Locke was appointed engineer for Barnes Bridge and a new rail bridge at Richmond to add to the main line. Today, both designs look strikingly similar! Fox Henderson & Co was appointed as the contractor to build the bridge.

On the Barnes side of the river, the bridge crosses from the middle of The Terrace. A street with a number of small attractive Georgian houses, several of which had to be demolished to make way for the railway. Locke embanked the river to achieve the statutory level above high-water mark that would allow the passage of trading barges on the river. The completed bridge officially opened, just three years later on 22 August 1849.

 

Averting disaster

The original bridge consisted of two pairs of cast iron arch spans. That was the preferred method of this type of bridge construction at the time. However, towards the end of the nineteenth century, eminent engineers started to question the safety of these bridges. Sadly, in 1891 the 8.45am express train from Brighton to London Bridge came off the rails at Portland Road bridge. Rail inspectors concluded this was due to a catastrophic failure of the cast iron metalwork.

As a result, the viable lifespan and long-term stability of cast iron structures was immediately put in doubt. The accident led to an Act of Parliament in July 1891 that approved the replacement of Barnes Bridge by a structure composed of wrought iron.

 

The cast iron argument for wrought iron

Cast iron is harder, more brittle, and less malleable than wrought iron. You can’t bend, stretch, or hammer it into shape, since its weak tensile strength means it fractures before it bends or distorts.

Wrought iron contains less carbon than cast iron, which makes it softer and more ductile. It’s also highly resistant to fatigue. If you apply large amounts of pressure to wrought iron, it undergoes a large amount of deformation before failing. This makes it a far more suitable material for the construction of a railway bridge.

How can I see the two bridges?

Today, Barnes Railway Bridge, is best described as an optical illusion. It looks like a single bridge, when there are two very distinct bridges. Most long-term residents of Barnes aren’t aware of the double bridge structure.

The best way to see the two bridges is to stand under the footbridge and look up. Then it’s very clear. The illusion is as a result of cost saving. Barnes Rail Bridges are the result of two phases of construction. On the upstream (west) side is the original bridge – at least 50% of it. It’s made up of cast iron spans, dating from 1849 which are now derelict. Towering over the cast iron spans are the wrought iron bowstring trusses of the new Barnes Bridge.

Phase two (1894 – until now)

The new Barnes Bridge – approved by Parliament was designed by civil engineer, Edward Andrews and built by contractor Head, Wrightson & Co. Made from three spans of wrought iron bow string girders, it was supported by extended piers and abutments.

In 1894, work began on the extension of the existing brick abutments and piers. The new structure was completed during the following year. However, because the rail company had a financial requirement for train services to continue over the existing bridge throughout the construction of its replacement, the new Barnes Bridge was built alongside the existing single track. Once the new bridge was completed, the cost of dismantling the remains of Locke's original bridge was too expensive, so it remains in place to this day.

 

Boat race view

The new footpath bridge (as well as the now abandoned track bridge ) was handy for Boat Race spectators. So, the railway company took the opportunity to cash in by selling tickets for access on the day. In recent years the bridge has closed on Boat Race Day, due to overcrowding. Stand back, look up and you’ll still see the coat of arms on Barnes Bridge includes a light blue Cambridge oar and a dark blue Oxford oar.

 

On the right side of the tracks

The new Barnes Bridge consisted of two railway tracks on the wrought iron bridge, half of the original bridge, and a single footpath on the downstream side of new bridge. Today, Barnes Bridge is one of only three bridges in London to combine pedestrian and rail use. The other bridges are Hungerford Bridge, Golden Jubilee Bridge and Fulham Railway Bridge.

Present day

In June 1983, Barnes Bridge was given protection by English Heritage (now Heritage England) as a Grade II listed structure.

The creation of the original bridge meant that Thames Walk on the Hounslow side of the river was interrupted by the railway embankment with no physical means of crossing other than the small road tunnel 200 yards from the riverbank.

In November 2017, an application for planning permission was submitted to Hounslow Council. This proposed the construction of a bespoke pedestrian footbridge that would span along the bank of the Thames beneath Barnes Bridge. This would eliminate the need for a long diversion. Hounslow Council approved the planning for a new footbridge to pass underneath and the construction of the footbridge, designed by Architects Moxon started in 2021.

For details of our plans see here

Timeline

  • 1846

    Designed by Joseph Locke and Thomas Brassey, work commences on the cast-iron railway bridge to carry a loop line to by-pass Richmond

  • 1847

    The Windsor, Staines and South-Western Railway was given permission to build a 7.25 mile line from Barnes to Feltham

  • 1847 and 1848

    The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is not run on the Thames. Probably due to the bridge construction work disrupting the race

  • 1849

    Barnes Bridge opens. This new loop line is to prove a useful by-pass for passenger and freight traffic, avoiding the busy route through Richmond

  • 1891

    Portland Bridge in Brighton collapses due to failure of cast iron. Rail engineers suggest replacing existing cast iron bridges with wrought iron

  • 1891

    Act of Parliament passes that approves the construction of a new Barnes Bridge to replace the dangerous cast iron bridge

  • 1894

    Work begins to extend the existing brick abutments and piers. This allows the construction of a new wrought iron bridge

  • 1895

    New bridge and attached footpath is opens

  • 1916

    Barnes Bridge station opens

  • 2009

    Work begins on a bridge makeover which consists of repainting all the iron structures in two shades of grey and replacing damaged brickwork. The cost is approximately £3 million, funded by Network Rail.

  • 2021

    Work begins on the new footpath, under the bridge on the Hounslow side